Shloka 23

अध्याय २८१ — दानधर्मः, न्यायागतधनम्, ऋणत्रय-परिशोधनं च

Dāna ethics, lawful wealth, and settling obligations

Devanagari script

मुच्यतां त्रिदशेन्द्रोडयं मत्प्रियं कुरु भाविनि

Transliteration

mucyatāṃ tridaśendro 'yaṃ matpriyaṃ kuru bhāvini | bhāvini ye devatānāṃ rājā indraḥ, etān muñca | mama idaṃ priyaṃ kāryaṃ kuru | brūhi, ahaṃ tava kāṃ kāmām abhilāṣāṃ pūrayāmi | tvaṃ yaṃ yaṃ manorathaṃ prāptum icchasi taṃ vada ||

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا—اے نیک بانو! دیوتاؤں کے راجا اِس اِندر کو چھوڑ دو۔ میرا محبوب کام کرو؛ اسے آزاد کر دو۔ بتاؤ—تمہاری کون سی آرزو میں پوری کروں؟ جو بھی مراد تم پانا چاہو، بیان کرو۔

Word by Word

• मुच्यताम्: let (him) be released / let (him) go
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच्
• Form: लोट् (imperative), आत्मनेपद, 3, singular, passive (कर्मणि प्रयोग)

• त्रिदशेन्द्रः: the lord of the thirty (gods), i.e., Indra
• त्रिदशेन्द्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदशेन्द्र
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• उडयम्: Uḍaya (proper name) / (as written) Uḍaya
• उडयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उडय
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• मत्प्रियम्: dear to me / my desired (thing)
• मत्प्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्प्रिय
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• कुरु: do (it)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: लोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, 2, singular

• भाविनि: O lady / O auspicious one
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाविनी
• Form: feminine, vocative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Indra (Tridaśendra, king of the gods)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds ethical restraint and compassionate action: even when one has power over another, dharma is served by releasing the worthy and by channeling one’s agency into a request that benefits order and righteousness, not domination.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma addresses a noble lady and urges her to release Indra, identified as the king of the gods. He frames this as a personal request and, in return, offers to fulfill any desire she may name—establishing a boon-like exchange grounded in persuasion rather than coercion.